Monday, April 20, 2009

Hypnotized Minds

Anyone who has spent time commuting to Union Square, Times Square or Columbus Circle is familiar with the Hypnotic Brass Band, whether they realize it or not. The 8 man ensemble is a crew of brothers, born and raised together in Chicago where their father Phil Corcoran, a former trumpeter for Sun Ra drilled them for hours on technical skill as well as music theory as children. It's most likely this ingrained familiarity that's responsible for the powerful pure horn sounds each member of the group illicits from his instrument and their almost unnatural synchronization. The typical song on the two albums of theirs I bought, "The Brothers" and "New York City Live" hinge on rhythm which is teased out, improvised and built upon while never straying too far. Both albums on a song by song basis are immaculate. Here's a Youtube sampling of their work.